I don't need a thing

One of the most popular verses of scripture is found in Psalms 23:1. The KJV version reads this way: “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want . . .” I love the way Eugene Peterson puts it in the Message translation: “God, my Shepherd! I don’t need a thing.”

(Sheep in pasture - Jarrettsville, MD)

But is God really enough for us? 

I’ve had to face some very difficult facts these last couple of weeks…I have been guilty of desiring the blessings of God without just truly falling in love with Him. The more I delve into this, the more it looks like ‘man’ is born dissatisfied. Every day we wake up, we strive, we fight, we reach for excellence…because, it appears, man just can’t be satisfied. It’s the Ruffles potato chip mentality: betcha’ can’t eat just one! There is always this longing for more. 

Esau had this mentality. He sold his birthright to his brother Jacob for something so temporal…something to eat. The ‘trends of the day’ seem to be focused on the temporal with no thought of the eternal. But every person is laying up treasures every day…somewhere. 

Money will buy a bed, but not sleep;

Books, but not brains; food, but not appetite;

Finery, but not beauty; a house, but not a home;

Medicine, but not health; luxuries, but no culture;

Amusement, but not happiness;

Religion, but not salvation;

A passport to everywhere but heaven;

     -- Anonymous --

(St. Clair's Bridge - Rocks State Park)

‘But’…   

That word is always in our sentences, right? Because of life’s circumstances (an embarrassing past or an

uncertain future) we wonder, is God really enough for me? Our minds are usually convinced that God is able to do anything, yet our hearts doubt in secret. I love how Paul gave us a promise, though, in 

II Timothy 2:13 – “If we believe not, yet He abideth faithful: He cannot deny Himself.” Even in doubt, God is still faithful. And if He is all you have, that is enough.

God, my Shepherd! I don’t need a thing!

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